The following incident concerns a lady called Sauda bint Zamah.
She was first married to one of the early Muslims, as-Sakran ibn Amr ibn Abd
Shams, who took her and seven of his friends and emigrated to Ethiopia to escape
persecution. In Ethiopia Saudas husband died and she returned to her home land.

At about the same time Mohammad lost his first wife Khadijah.

Not long after, Mohammad married Sauda. No doubt because of their
common experience, they could understand each other's pain and were able to comfort one another.

During the course of time Mohammad married other women. And before his
death, he had nine wives.

Ibn Kathir, quoting Muslim, reported that Mohammad died leaving
nine wives, but he used to apportion his days to only eight of the nine. This ninth
wife was Sauda who gave her day to Aisha.

In spite of the long companionship Mohammad had with Sauda, the Hadith
tells us that Sauda later on missed out on her privileges as a wife and a companion to
Mohammad. Mohammad did not only stop fulfilling his obligations as a husband to Sauda,
but he even stopped visiting her.

The authenticity of this report is undeniable. For example Bukhari
reported:

Narrated Aisha that Sauda bint Zamah gave up
her turn to Aisha, and so the prophet used to give Aisha both
her day and the day of Sauda.[1]

"If the wife fears that her husband might reject her, or avoid her,
she might give up all or some of her rights concerning financial support or clothing or
housing or such other rights against him, and he can accept these concessions from her.
There is no fault on her for giving up her rights and there is no fault on him if he
accepts her concessions. This is why the Most High said: (there is no fault in them if the
couple set things right between them) then He said: (right settlement is better) than
separation... this is why, when Sauda bint Zamah became old, the Prophet of Allah
decided to divorce her. She besought him to keep her in return of giving up her day to
Aisha. So he accepted her offer and did not divorce her.

... on the authority of Ibn Abbas who said: Sauda feared that the
Prophet of Allah might divorce her, so she said to him: O Prophet of Allah, do not divorce
me, and my day shall belong to Aisha. So he did and that verse Q. 4:128 was
revealed."

Why did the Prophet of Allah want to divorce Sauda?
And if he did not want to divorce her why did she fear him divorcing her
so that she gave up her day to Aisha? What was her fault?

There was no fault on Saudas part except that she
became old according to Ibn Kathir.

Some reports say that Mohammad did actually divorce Sauda
but she negotiated a settlement with him which he accepted.

Al-Qasim ibn Abi Beza said the prophet sent to Sauda
a message divorcing her. So she waited for the prophet on his way to
Aisha. When she saw him she said I implore you by Him who revealed
His words to you and chose you above all his creation why did you divorce me.
I have become old and have no need of men but I wish to be resurrected
amongst your wives in the last day. So he changed his mind and she said
I have given my day and night to [Aisha] the prophets beloved...
(See Ibn Kathir on Q. 4:128)

But why would any woman give up her share of her only husband
to another woman?

To get a fuller picture of the above incident let us look at
what the commentators said about Q. 4:128.

Of Q. 4:128 Razi said:

"Some said: (Feared) meaning knew,
others said: (feared) meaning thought.
But all that is ignoring the obvious for no reason.
What is meant (by feared) is fear itself. But fear does not happen
unless there are signs indicating fear. These signs here are that the man
says to his wife you are ugly or you are old and I want to marry a beautiful
youthful woman... the (rebelliousness or aversion) of the husband against
the rights of the woman is to avoid her, looks angry when looking her in
the face, deserts her sexually and mistreats her."

Did Mohammad treat Sauda as Razi commented? Sauda must have seen
the writing on the wall so she decided to salvage some protection from Mohammad.

Ibn Kathir also said:

"Concerning Q. 4:128 Aisha said: It concerns the man
who has two wives. One of them has become old or is ugly and he does not like her company
much, so she says: "Do not divorce me, and you are free from your obligations towards
me."" This Hadith is established in the Two Sahihs. What the verse seems
to say that their reconciliation, on the condition that she gives up some of her rights,
and the acceptance of the husband of that is better than complete separation, just as the
Prophet kept Sauda on the condition that she gave her day to Aisha and did not
divorce her but kept her amongst his wives and this was done in order that his nation
might take him as their example and that this act is lawful and permissible."

This verse was revealed first in Ibn abi as-Saib who had a wife
and children from her and she became old so he was about to divorce her, but she said: Do
not divorce me, and let me look after my children and apportion a few nights for me every
month. The husband said: If this is so, it is better for me. The second was that the
Prophet wanted to divorce Sauda bint Zamah but she besought him to keep her on the
condition that she would give up her day to Aisha, and he allowed that and did not
divorce her. The third is reported on Aisha that it concerns the man who has a wife
but he wants to replace her, so she says: Keep me and marry someone else and you are free
from supporting me and apportioning your nights to me.

"... when Sauda bint Zamah became old, the Prophet of Allah
wanted to divorce her. However, she preferred to remain amongst his wives, so she said,
Keep me, and my day shall belong to Aisha, and he did, and thus she
died as one of his wives. Ibn Abi Malikah declared that this verse was revealed regarding
Aisha. And in this verse is the answer to those light headed fools who say that
if a man took the youth of a woman and she became old he cannot replace her. So praise
be to Allah who lifted such burden and made an escape from such dilemma.[2]

So the nation of Mohammad innocently and completely has
imitated his action, and did not forget to give Allah the praise.

Dr bint ash-Shati the author of the book
The Wives of the Prophet (nisaa an-Nabi) described Sauda as
an unattractive old widow and over weight.[3] (Bukhari tells us that Sauda
was a tall,[4] fat and very slow lady.[5])

Dr bint ash-Shati described the matrimonial relationship
between Mohammad and Sauda in the following words: "Sauda realised from the
experience of her age that there is an insurmountable barrier between her and
the heart of Mohammad ... and she realised without a doubt that her share of
the prophet is one of mercy and kindness, not love, harmony and oneness."[6]

If there was no love, harmony and oneness
why did Mohammad marry Sauda in the first place?

And if there was no love, harmony and oneness,
where is the mercy?

Dr bint ash-Shatisaid that Khola bint Hakim was the one who
suggested to Mohammad marring Sauda and Aisha who was seven years old at the time.
After mentioning Aisha, "Mohammad commented at her suggestion saying: but
who will look after the house and who will serve the daughters of the prophet?"
At this Khola suggested the marriage of Sauda... and the prophet agreed. "And Sauda
was completely satisfied to take her place in the house of the prophet and to serve
his daughters."[7]

Now the picture is clear; Aisha became the love of Mohammad,
and Sauda became the servant of the daughters of the prophet. And after so many years
where Sauda cooked, washed, mended, served the prophet and his daughters and comforted
the prophet in his sorrows after the death of his first wife, when Sauda became old
Mohammad wanted to divorce her for no reason except that she became old and unattractive.

The Quran speaks of love and tenderness between husbands
and wives in the following words:

Of His signs it is that He has created mates for you of your
own kind that you may find peace of mind through them, and He has put love and
tenderness between you. (Q. 30:21)

The above incident gives us an idea about the meaning and the
limitations of this love and tenderness spoken of by the Quran.

Where is the love and the mercy spoken of by the Quran
in the incident of Sauda? Should Mohammad be judged by the Quran or is
Mohammad above the Quran?

The author of a standard text book on Islamic law wrote:

What some men of lust who have no moral values do, in divorcing
their wives without a reason, is a thing that is not stated nor approved by Islam.
And Allah must take vengeance on such men in this life and the next.[8]

The above statement sounds beautiful and reasonable until we read
a few pages later the following words by the same author: "[Divorce is permissible]
if the reason was the unsuitability of the woman for enjoyment due to certain defects
in her or due to old age or such things."[9]

Divorcing ones wife because of old age is permissible
and acceptable within the scope of being good to ones wife; even considered
to be the best standard, for Mohammad described himself as the best husband
and the Quran says of Mohammad "Thou dost most surely posses high
moral excellence. Q. 68:4.

"وإنك لعلى خُلُقٍ عظيم." (سورة القلم:4)

And on the other hand the "Quran was Mohammads
character" as one Hadith says.

But Dr bint ash-Shatis excuse for Mohammads behavior
is that he was a mere human being. So the Quran was his character and he also
was a mere human being. The equation is clear enough for all to see.